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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · racket · charge · firm · hide · capital · lie · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. charge — electricity
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a city
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. roll — a cake
  7. charge — in control
  8. firm — decided
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. capital — money
  13. firm — a company
  14. charge — a price
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. mine — for digging
  22. firm — steady
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com